


The Kindness of Warlocks (story and art)

by Pelydryn



Series: Dark Tower and Season Five AUs [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode: s05e10 The Kindness of Strangers, Fix-It, Gen, Good Mordred, Happy Ending, Hurt Merlin, M/M, Magic Revealed, Magical Battle, Merlin Canon Fest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 14:39:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16369499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pelydryn/pseuds/Pelydryn
Summary: A retelling of Episode 5x10, The Kindness of Strangers, in which strangers aren't the only ones who know how to be kind. A series of ten, hundred-word drabbles. Includes gorgeous digital art byJo.





	The Kindness of Warlocks (story and art)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/gifts).



> For MK, who is a great friend. Please forgive my horrible lateness.
> 
> And many thanks to Jo, who drew the gorgeous picture of the watch tower based off of a still from the episode.

 

 

 

I

 

Thud.

Something powerful slammed into him. Perhaps a charging boar—but nothing was there. Merlin gasped for breath, but his lungs wouldn't inhale. It wasn't until his vision turned foggy that he felt the pain splitting his torso apart. His hand instinctively stretched to protect the injury and bumped into a thin shaft penetrating his side. An arrow.

"Aaaagh," he gurgled, collapsing to the forest floor.

Reality blurred into panic. Someone nearby was speaking.

"…must go… watch tower… valley… Can you walk?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, grabbing a wrinkled hand.

Adrenaline coursed through him, giving him strength.

Each step was agony.

 

II

 

Merlin should have returned by now.

Mordred bit his lip and looked out into the darkness. Even Emrys wasn't invincible; something was wrong. Merlin might never forgive him, but Merlin didn't think much of Mordred anyway. Arthur must be told.

"My Lord. It's Merlin. I think he's in trouble."

Arthur looked up to see Mordred in the doorway.

Mordred expected opposition, but the king merely sighed.

"He went off to help that sorceress, didn't he? That boy's heart will be the death of him. He'd make friends with a dragon if he could."

Mordred nodded, relieved Arthur understood.

"Let's go."

 

III

 

The tower was no refuge. They had been found.

Merlin would not leave Finna. No way, no how. He would not leave a defenceless old woman to face Morgana alone. It would be akin to leaving his mother.

"Come with me," he croaked.

"Morgana mustn't find you."

"Then hurry!" he snapped.

Finna stared, eyes pleading. Gods, they didn't have time for this. The pain in Merlin's chest threatened to send him to oblivion.

"My lord—"

"I will not leave without you."

Crashes and shouts broke their stalemate.

Finna nodded, pulled Merlin to his feet, and hauled him up the stairs.

 

IV

 

"He went this way. " Mordred pointed into the forest.

"Alone? How could you let—"

"Merlin can take care of himself," Mordred snapped. Arthur was perfectly happy to abandon Merlin when it suited him. "Usually."

"That idiot?"

"He's managed to take care of you well enough," Mordred muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, "It's too dark to find the trail."

"We have to try." As they strode into the forest, a dim blue light appeared in the distance. It drifted closer, shimmering.

Magic.

Mordred expected Arthur to attack. Instead…

"Hello, friend. Come to show the way?"

Mordred's mouth dropped open.

 

V

 

Merlin shivered in the cold night breeze. Or maybe that was shock setting in.

Footsteps clattered on the stairs. Too soon, too soon. Merlin needed to call Kilgharrah for help. But when Merlin sucked in air for the summoning, intense pain ripped through his torso.

Finna caught him as he collapsed.

"You!" a crazed voice screamed. "You're Emrys? Impossible!"

It was too late. Morgana had found them.

She attacked immediately, a blast of magical energy powered by anger and malice. Finna stood over Merlin, resolute, but was tossed away like a dry leaf in a storm, brittle and weak, broken.

 

VI

 

The light led to an abandoned watch tower. When Saxons accosted them in the courtyard, Arthur and Mordred dispatched them efficiently.

The blue light guttered before wanly drifting up crumbling stairs to the roof.

Arthur had come looking for Merlin. Instead, he found Morgana.

His sister wasn't aware of his presence. She was focused on an old woman standing protectively over a crumpled figure. The sorceress. Arthur hesitated, sword drawn, uncertain whether to intervene in a magical battle.

When Morgana's spell flung the woman away violently, the crumpled figure underneath stood, wobbling.

Arthur's heart pulsed in fear. It was Merlin.

 

VII

 

Merlin's awareness had shrunk to little more than dim impressions of the world around him. He fought through this mental fog to realise that he was facing an angry high priestess, wounded and alone.

Merlin could do this. He had struck down Nimueh with lightning after she had stunned him with a fireball.

Emrys had not failed Gaius.

Emrys would not fail Finna, either.

Morgana attacked, a hailstorm of magical fury. It was all Merlin could do to remain standing under the onslaught. He pulled at the magic deep inside, desperate to end this.

But nothing came. He was spent.

 

VIII

 

Morgana was mesmerising to watch. A violent gale gushed out from her core, whipping her hair and clothing as sheets of magic pulsed wildly.

Arthur knew that Merlin was dead. No one could stand against Morgana like this. No one. Not even if Merlin had magic, as Arthur had suspected for awhile—or at least had before the fiasco with the Disir.

Arthur doubted even Emrys would have been able to stand up to this Morgana.

Merlin was dead, and Arthur's heart shattered. Any moment Morgana would realise his presence. Death was a welcome certainty.

He lifted Excalibur and charged.

 

IV

 

Mordred watched, horrified, as the king he had sworn to protect raced towards Morgana—a high priestess who could not be killed with an ordinary blade. He dropped his sword and raised both hands. Only his best weapon could protect his king now.

Arthur struck, stabbing Morgana in the back and running her through. She spun around, deadly magic still spraying from her fingertips.

Arthur was yanked back by an invisible force. Mordred stood where he had been, shielding them both. He launched spells at Morgana desperately.

Abruptly, Morgana fell to the floor. Excalibur protruded from her back, glittering, triumphant.

 

X

 

"Thank you," Arthur told Mordred before running to Merlin, whose wound was bleeding profusely. Merlin, his loyal servant, his faithful friend. A sorcerer, yes, but clearly not evil.

"Don't die, you idiot," Arthur said, ripping fabric from his cloak to stem the blood. He wanted to tease, pretend this wasn't real. Instead, he yelled, "Somebody help me!"

Mordred crouched next to him.

"I was right to have faith in you. My king." His hands gently covered Merlin's wound. "Þurhhæle!"

Merlin's eyes fluttered open. Arthur laughed with sudden joy and the glorious, inexplicable sensation that, somehow, someway, destiny had been fulfilled.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're looking for other Merlin fans to chat with, you're welcome to come visit our Merlin chatzy room. Information on how to get there is here: http://merlin-chat.livejournal.com/


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